Abandoned
by Aurora18021
Summary: When a deal goes wrong, the Serenity crew scrambles off a warring moon, but in their haste, River and Jayne are left behind. What will the mismatched pair do? completed
1. Trouble

Title: Abandoned

Disclaimer: I own nothing...it's all Joss.

Rating: PG-13 now (just swearing), but later...R or so.

Summary: When a deal goes wrong, the Serenity crew scrambles off a warring moon, but in their haste, River and Jayne are left behind. What will the mismatched pair do?

Chapter One: Trouble

The deal was going south.

The thought was not unfamiliar in Captain Malcolm Reynolds's mind, but right now, he would rate this one in the top ten, maybe five. Somehow a simple exchange had turned into a gorram civil war between the folk on the moon.

"Captain! Alliance!" Wash's voice was frantic and repetitious over the comm.

"Got it," Mal replied from behind his blockade, his voice tinged with annoyance. He winced a little as a bullet hit close. "We're kinda dealin' with a different problem right now."

"Five or seven minutes, Mal," Wash warned.

"Only need three," Mal told him before rolling out of his position, firing at the opposite men. He spotted Zoe out of the corner of his eye. She was still standing, but loosing ground. He didn't even try and locate Jayne and River in the masses.

"Okay everybody, we're movin' out!" Mal shouted backing toward the shuttle. A couple more well-placed bullets and most of the men were down.

The comm in his hand crackled to life. "I'm headed to the ship," Jayne's rough voice announced.

"River with you?" Mal replied instantly.

The comm crackled again. "Yeah."

Mal meant to say "good" when a shot rang out, knocking down a horse and man not more than two feet away.

"_Ta ma de_," he cursed as he stumbled backwards toward the shuttle. Zoe was still to his right shooting the last of her rounds.

"Zoe!" Mal shouted as the backed up to the shuttle. Thankfully, the men shooting were still several feet away, but closing in.

Zoe opened the hatch and jumped in. As she flicked the shuttle on, Mal gave two more shots before slipping on, closing the hatch.

"Well, that wasn't predicable," Mal commented as Zoe flew them to Serenity.

"No sir, it wasn't." Zoe's lips twitched as she said the words. She flicked on a switch and announced, "Docking in five."

The shuttle slid into its spot and both Mal and Zoe jumped out and headed for the bridge.

"Wash!" Mal shouted. "Get us outta here!"

On the speaker, the pilot replied, "Already ahead of ya." The familiar rumbled of the engine sounded wonderful to Mal's ears as they ascended into the sky.

"That was a close one, sir," Zoe commented, almost quietly.

"Mite closer than I like," Mal agreed somewhat reluctantly. The turned the corner and nearly ran smack dab into the mechanic.

"Hey, Cap'n, Zoe," Kaylee greeted, ever cheerful. "How'd it go?"

Zoe's eyes slid pointedly to Mal before she squeezed past, heading up to the bridge.

Kaylee turned to Mal expectantly. "Where's River? Simon's all anxious 'bout her."

Mal could feel his blood freezing. "She's with Jayne. Here," he said slowly, staring down at the mechanic.

Involuntarily, Kaylee shrank back a little. "No, we thought ya'll were on the shuttle."

"_Go se_," Mal bemoaned and spun on his heel, half-running towards the cargo bay.

Kaylee followed closely behind, her face etched with concern. "Sorry, Cap'n, I really thought…" she trailed off when she realized he wasn't listening.

"Jayne! River!" Mal shouted loudly, his voice echoing in the ship. His feet clanked against the metal as he stormed past Inara's shuttle.

The commotion alerted the Companion and she pried open her door. "Is something wrong?" She asked a flummoxed Kaylee.

In an uncharacteristic manner, the mechanic nibbled on her lip nervously. "Well, Jayne 'n River are kinda…missing," she whispered the last word.

Inara's brow creased. "But we're out of atmo." Her eyes widened and she glanced at Mal's retreating form. "Oh!"

"Yeah," Kaylee added miserably.

"Jayne!" Mal shouted again as he clamored down the stairs to the cargo bay. The open area was empty save for the various boxes and Jayne's bench press. His search was fruitless.

Mal strode across the bay and pressed a button. "Wash, turn her 'round," he ordered, his face set hard.

"We can't. Alliance, remember?" Wash called back, confusion edging in his voice.

"They ain't on the ship, are they, sir?" Zoe asked calmly.

Mal didn't bother to respond. He just stormed his way back up towards the bridge. Every gorram time, he thought angrily, something had to go screwy.

By the time he entered the bridge, everyone had assembled including a very confused Simon.

"Where, exactly, is my sister?" He questioned, glancing between the two ex-soldiers.

Mal ignored the question and addressed the crew, or what was left of them. "Everyone just stay right nice and calm, 'specially you, doc." He the turned his attention to Wash. "They on planet-side, now?"

"Yep," Wash confirmed.

Mal exhaled, rubbing the side of his jaw. "We ain't gonna be able to turn 'round now without raising some very unpleasant questions," he mumbled to himself.

Simon took a deliberate step forward. "What," he began slowly, "happened to my sister?"

Mal met the doctor's gaze straight on. "There was a bit of confusion down there, and folks on the moon started a gorram civil war. Somehow, River 'n Jayne didn't make it back to the ship in time. But, ain't nothin' we can do right this minute."

"Nothing we can do?" Simon nearly exploded. "Turn Serenity around!"

"And have the Alliance on us?" Mal shouted back, his eyes burning. "You really want that? Last I heard you 'n your sister are known fugitives."

Simon's jaw tensed and an uncomfortable silence settled among the crew.

"I think," Inara began, breaking the silence. "Mal's right. Everyone should just…calm down."

Simon scoffed. "My sister is on a godforsaken moon with a barely trained ape who doesn't give a rat's ass about her!"

Kaylee reached out and ghosted her hand over Simon's shoulder. "Captain and Inara are right. We gotta stay calm. 'sides, they'll be alright." Her optimism didn't shine through as brightly, but she kept her smile on.

Simon inhaled slowly and rubbed his face. "So what now?"

"We wait," Mal answered. "Shouldn't be more than a day or two."

"Oh god," Simon muttered, stepping back. His mentally unstable sister and a crass mercenary—no worse pair in the 'verse.

"Gorramit!" Jayne shouted at the empty piece of desert. He wiped his bloody and dirty forehead trying to look up into the sky. Nothing.

"_Ben tian sheng de yi dui rou! Chou ma niao!" _Jayne yelled and chucked a rock at where the ship should have been.

River blinked as Jayne let out a stream of curses. She carefully stepped closer, her long dark hair whipping behind her. Her feet were incased in her favorite boots and her slip of a dress rippled around her slight figure.

Her head tilted a fraction, as if studying something in the vast emptiness of rock and dirt. "Whoosh," she whispered. "Sublimation."

(in order of appearance) dammit, stupid inbred stack of meat, stinking horse urine.

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	2. Hide

Title: Abandoned

Disclaimer: I own nothing...it's all Joss.

Rating: PG-13 now (just swearing), but later...R or so.

Summary: When a deal goes wrong, the Serenity crew scrambles off a warring moon, but in their haste, River and Jayne are left behind. What will the mismatched pair do?

Timeline: (forgot last time-whoops!) Post-BDM, but Wash is alive...I'd say about a month after.

Chapter Two: Hide

"How is she?"

Simon's lips tightened as he proceeded stitching the wound on Mal's shoulder.

"Doc." Mal's one word emphasis received a curt response.

"I couldn't know. River is not on the ship," Simon replied with obvious irritation.

Mal fixed him with a glare. "I ain't lookin' for your brotherly input. I want her status." He attempted to turn his body, but winced in pain.

Simon kept his gaze on his weave. "She is relatively stable, her words and actions are more coherent now. However, she still has her moments, and, of course, the nightmares. I am hoping for the best, but the damage to her mind is excessive."

Mal nodded. "How'd you think she'll fare?"

Simon exhaled. "It's unpredictable. She may be perfectly fine for two days or…" he trailed off, knowing the captain needed no further explanation. He finished the weave and stepped back, pulling off his pink stained gloves.

Mal shrugged his shirt back on, not bother to fumble with the buttons. As he hoisted himself of the chair, Simon spoke again.

"This is the second time she's been in harm's way on a job. She's not helping out again."

His voice held no room for arguments, and for once, Mal didn't press.

* * *

"If my calculations are correct, we have been deserted," River spoke after a Jayne finished cursing at the empty sky. 

"Ya think, moonbrain?" Jayne growled, kicking the dust. The sun was hot and his skin was coated in a fine sheen of sweat and dirt.

River, however, looked exactly the same. Maybe, Jayne reasoned, the girl weren't even gorram human.

A faint sound rumbled in the air, and the stranded duo glanced up at the sky, trying to see past the glare of the sun. A ship was making its descent on the moon. It was a sleek looking thing, which immediately raised concerns.

"Alliance," River remarked as if commenting on the color of the sky.

Jayne's eyes went round. "_Fei fei de piyan!"_ He scrambled upward towards the spattering of trees. As he ran up the ragged terrain, he glanced behind him to see that River was rooted in her spot.

"What the sphincter hell are ya doin'?" He shouted at her. Of course, he thought angrily, the crazy girl didn't budge.

Instead of continuing upward, something possessed him to race back to River and loop an arm around her body, yanking her with him.

For a moment, River squirmed in his grasp, but something jolted her, and she began running with him. They found a shaded area with a small canopy of leaves hopefully shielding them from any prying eyes.

"This is not permissible," River said defiantly, giving Jayne a look. "Our situation must be reevaluated. I must define the variables and redo the calculations."

Jayne's jaw tightened. "Shut up," he told her through gritted teeth. "Ya wanna go back to that fancy academy of yours?"

River's lips pressed close at his words. She hedged forward, staying in her crouched position. Her eyes peered through the leaves and branches, studying the ship intently.

It landed gracefully on the ground, startling the few stragglers still trying to fight. Most were dead on the ground or long gone.

River watched, her eyes darting everywhere, as several men in Alliance uniforms stepped off. They moved in a fluid line, guns posed and ready.

She shrank back and looked up at Jayne with one of her somewhat creepy smiles. "I have observed only ten men and eight high-tech, military-issued guns."

Jayne's mouth dropped open. Yeah, he thought, if he don't have enough evidence before, Crazy definitely weren't human.

* * *

"Ya think they're alright?" Kaylee asked Inara in a small voice. 

The two was sitting in Inara's shuttle with cards splayed out before them. It was mildly unsettling for everyone to have nothing to do. Mostly they were just waiting out the day or when the Alliance finally left the moon.

Inara sighed, place her cards face down on the floor. "I'm not sure, _mei mei_. I hope so."

"Of course they are," Kaylee encouraged. "I mean, Jayne's awfully strong and handy with a gun. A-and River's…well, River."

Inara smiled fleetingly. "Sweetie, why are you here?"

Kaylee blinked. "What?"

Inara gave her a significant look. "You should be with Simon, right now. Your boyfriend."

Despite the serious mood, the mechanic blushed and smiled at the word. "But what 'bout you?"

A slight laugh spilled from Inara's glossed lips. "I'll be fine, Kaylee. Go."

With a sheepish grin, Kaylee nearly pranced out of the shuttle, and ran straight into Mal.

Instantly her cheer dimmed at the sigh of the captain's face. "Hiya, Cap'n."

"Kaylee," Mal nodded back. "'Nara in?"

"Yep," she answered, and skirted off to the infirmary.

Mal stepped into the shuttle his eyes zeroing in on the Companion bent over, scooping up cards.

"Hello, Mal," Inara greeted dryly.

"What?" Mal asked defensively, his face a picture of puzzlement.

Inara opened her mouth to, once again, berate him for entering her shuttle unannounced, but thought better. "It's nothing. Is there something you needed?"

Mal managed to brush off the suspicion and focus on his task. "I'm 'fraid we ain't gonna be at Persephone for at least 'nother day or two. Might put you behind schedule."

Inara relaxed. "It's fine, Mal," she paused for a moment. "In case you haven't noticed, I really haven't had many clients recently. I only need certain items from Persephone."

"Oh," Mal said, unsure what else to say. "I'm sorry?" He tried, but it came out a question rather than apology.

Inara exhaled. "I'm still not sure," she told him, her eyes slipping away, "about going back to Sihnon… or the training house." She glanced up again and met Mal's gaze.

Mal met her square in the eye. "That's fine."

For a moment, Inara felt the desire to reach over and touch Mal's cheek. The urge was so strong she had to clasp her hands together to stop herself. "Well," she began, nudging the conversation to an end.

"Well, I'll let ya know when we're headed back to pick River 'n Jayne up," Mal announced and backed out of the shuttle.

"Thank you," Inara replied as Mal disappeared.

"_Ben_," she reprimanded herself as soon as he was out of earshot. Would she ever say what she really meant?

* * *

"Uh, Mal?" Wash shouted. 

The captain arrived seconds after hearing his name. "Please tell me somethin' good," he said sharply.

Zoe glanced down at her hands as Wash fiddled with the switches.

"Our problem," he began hesitantly, "may have…developed."

"Wash," Mal warned and glared at the pilot.

"Sir," Zoe spoke up. "Just look at screen."

Mal quickly scanned the screen, his face darkening at each word. "_Cai bu shi!_"

Comments are thoroughly appreciated!

Chinese in order: baboon's asscrack, sister, idiot, no way!


	3. Planning

Title: Abandoned

Disclaimer: I own nothing...it's all Joss.

Rating: PG-13 now (just swearing), but later...R or so.

Summary: When a deal goes wrong, the Serenity crew scrambles off a warring moon, but in their haste, River and Jayne are left behind. What will the mismatched pair do?

Timeline: Post-BDM, but Wash is alive...I'd say about a month after.

Chapter Three: Planning

"Your plan is ridiculous," River pronounced, the corners of her mouth turned down.

"'s not! We sneak up and take over them ship," Jayne repeated indignantly.

River rolled her eyes. "Numerous flaws. Most obvious is the protection surrounding the ship."

Jayne scoffed, peering through the branches. "What? Few lunkheads? Ain't nothing but a blow to the head'll do."

"No, an electric impulse fence," River corrected factually.

"How'd ya know?" Jayne questioned.

"I can see it," River answered, shifting out of her crouched position.

"I don't see nothing," Jayne replied with a grumble.

"Perhaps you're visually challenged," River suggested coolly. His persistent questioning of her logic was irking her.

A second later a satisfactory smirk settled on her lips. "I know how to proceed: guerilla warfare tactics."

"What the ruttin' hell's that and why's a gorilla involved?" Jayne demanded, casting suspicious glance at the petite brunette.

River let out a tiny noise of exasperation. "We use spontaneous attacks on the soldiers with the advantage of the terrain."

It took a moment for Jayne to fully process her words. "Sounds an awful lot like my plan."

"Incorrect, mine has a higher success rate due to stealth," River rebutted.

Jayne's eyes narrowed. "And ya're all stealth-like ain'tcha?"

"I don't understand your inquiry," River said, her brow creasing.

"I've seen you sneakin' on your brother 'n Kaylee sexin'. Don't care the doc says you're getting better, that's downright wrong, moonbrain," Jayne accused her with a glare.

River blinked, and for an instant Jayne thought he had her cornered, but then she met his gaze calmly.

"Since I have no personal experience, I must acquire my knowledge from a secondary source," she told him.

Jayne clenched his jaw. "Still wrong, Crazy."

River gave him her patent look. "It's merely for my future education. Don't be such a boob." She turned away to study the Alliance ship again.

"Ain't right," Jayne mumbled mostly to himself.

* * *

"Are you kidding me?" Mal demanded still staring at the screen.

"No sir," Wash replied to the rhetorical question.

"Indefinite? What the ruttin' hell does that mean?" Mal continued his rant. "They stayin' on the ship till…whenever?"

"Don't make sense," Zoe added, "Alliance never comes out to boarder moons. Why start now?"

Mal froze, clenching his jaw tight. "Gorram reavers," he mumbled under his breath.

Both Zoe and Wash stiffened.

"Sir?" Zoe's voice cut through the palpable tension

"They're tryin' to get control again," Mal clarified. "Tryin' to prove the message ain't real. That the Pax 'n Miranda is a bunch of _go se._"

"Can they do that?" Wash asked. "I mean, you got the message out to 30-some planets over a month ago."

"People can be manipulated," Zoe answered for the captain. "Everyone wants to forget the war and they certain don't wanna be startin' a new one."

"'xactly," Mal added and exhaled loudly. "Hell, we need a plan. One that'll get River 'n Jayne off the gorram rock smoothly."

There was a brief pause before Wash glanced up at the captain. "Any ideas?"

"Not a damn one."

* * *

"If yer plan is so genius, then where the hell are they?" Jayne hissed with a fixed scowl.

"I…" River trailed off, still staring out at the ship. "Indefinite. Absolute zero."

"Right," Jayne agreed sarcastically. "I understand your crazy babble." When she didn't respond, he glanced out at the horizon to see the sun half hidden.

Sighing, Jayne rubbed an eye. Exhaustion was setting in after spending a good chunk of the day fighting. Sparing a look at the brunette, he felt the urge to scream at her distant stare. Of all the people on the ship, she was the last one he'd want to be stranded with.

Nevermind the fact that she was a hell of a good fighter, even he could admit that, but she was still ruttin' crazy.

It weren't as obvious as before Miranda, he noted. In all honest, her smarts seemed to be what split her apart from the rest of the crew, or hell, the rest of the damn 'verse. And after seeing her demolish the passel of reavers, nothing would put her in the helpless column in Jayne's mind. The sight of her as the doors slid open flashed in his mind.

Dangerous didn't even cover it.

"Sunset is in less than 16 minutes," River's delicate voice broke through is thoughts.

Jayne's head snapped to the brunette coiled tightly next to him. "Yeah. We ain't gonna be stagin' any kinda escape today."

"Tomorrow," River suggested at the same time her mouth opened wide and a yawn spilled out.

"Bright 'n early," Jayne conceded, feeling a yawn coming on. He shrugged off his jacket and tucked in under his head. Jayne adjusted himself as best as he could to accommodate his large size in the small space while leaving a nice gap between him and River.

Can't be too careful, he told himself. She ain't completely batty, but they sure as hell ain't friends and she had a wicked-lookin' knife.

River fluffed her makeshift pillow and rested her head on it, sending her long locks tumbling over her face. "No worries, ape-man," she said cheerfully. "Red is no longer your best color."

Her words made Jayne shift uneasily. "Shut it, girl," he reprimanded. "'m tryin' to sleep here."

* * *

Simon stared down at the bottles of medicine in his hands. He'd been attempting to pass time by reorganizing the infirmary, but there were only so many times he could roll gauze and alphabetize meds.

By now, he realized, the sun had set on the moon. The knot in his stomach tightened and his hands gripped the bottles.

His _mei-mei_ was all alone.

"Simon?" The sweet voice with that twang could only be Kaylee.

He glanced up and smiled at his girlfriend. "Hi. I was just…" he set the box down. "Organizing."

Kaylee didn't tease him like she normally did about his tidiness. "You missed dinner," she said sympathetically.

He tried to smile again. "Not hungry." This time he could tell his smile didn't even turn the corners of his lips.

Kaylee bit her lip and stepped forward, wrapping her arms around him. "She's fine. Jayne'll make sure no harm comes to her."

"How do you know that?" He questioned hoarsely.

Kaylee pulled back at the sound of defeat in his tone. "'cause I do," she said firmly. "River's mighty tough when she has to be."

Simon swallowed. "I know. I just worry…It's cold at night there. I-I read it in my encyclopedia. River only has her little…sweater thing, and no provisions, no water—"

Kaylee stopped Simon's ramble with a hand over his mouth then, she pulled her fingers away and kissed his lips.

"River's plenty smart 'n Jayne's been in this kinda situation before. We all have. And Cap'n said first thing tomorrow, we're going down to get 'em."

Her words helped Simon a little and he kissed her back. "Thank you, _bao-bei_."

* * *

Hours later, River woke up, her body racked with shivers. She opened her eyes and half sat up, looking down at a sleeping Jayne who as equally shivering.

"Desert climate," she mumbled out loud through chattering teeth. She pushed Jayne's muscled shoulder hard.

He woke surprisingly quickly. "Gorram pissant!" He hissed, folding his arms against his chest for warmth. His eyes locked on River's dark ones. "What ya doin'?"

"Cold," she replied, summing up her reason.

"Yeah, well, me too and I ain't wakin' you up 'bout it," Jayne told her and unfolded his jacket, putting it back on.

"We must conserve our body heat for optimal survival," River told him. "Ectothermy must be conducted."

In his shivering state, Jayne nodded, albeit reluctantly. "'m listenin'."

"Take off your jacket and move closer, approximately 23 centimeters," she instructed, tucking her legs under her.

"What's that gonna do?" Jayne grumbled.

"Body heat can be conserved by hibernation; however, we lack the necessary biological function to do so. Instead we will create a similar design by sleeping in close quarters," River answered, her words shaky from her quivering lips.

"We're already close," Jayne countered as he moved.

"Closer for heat," River told him and, to his immense surprise, curled herself in the crook of his body. A fraction of a centimeter open space fell between the fronts of their bodies.

"What the—Crazy girl, not that close!" He told her frantically.

Annoyed, River poked him in the stomach with her elbow. "Do you wish for hypothermia? This is the only way to keep well for as long as possible. Now, place your jacket over the both of us."

Too confounded to protest, Jayne did so, but not with out moving back a little. A sliver of control over the gorram psycho killer woman and her equally psychotic hibernation idea.

A psycho killer woman who strangely smelled like vanilla and spice.

Chinese in order: sweetheart

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	4. Motion

Chapter Four: Motion

Something was tickling Jayne's nose. He snorted and shifted in his sleep, but it was still there. Slowly, he pried his eyes open to the sun sparking over the edge of horizon.

"Gorram sun," he mumbled and reached up to brush the thing off his face. It slipped between his fingers and landed on the ground.

Fully awake, Jayne glanced down to see it was hair. Thick, long, messy hair that went in every which direction.

Hair that belonged to the small figure curled against his chest, eyes wide and unmoving.

"_Ta ma de_!" Jayne exclaimed, scrambling to a sitting position. Seeing the crazy girl staring up at him had been creepier than he liked.

"Good morning," River greeted as if it was normal to be this close to the large man.

Jayne blinked and regained his composure somewhat. The memory of waking up in the middle of the night frozen came back to him, along with the hibernation plan.

"Mornin'," he replied gruffly.

River sat up as well, the massive jacket sliding off her thin shoulders. "It is approximately 7:21 in the morning."

Jayne grunted in acknowledgement and stretched his neck. Damn clearin' was too tight for 'im and the girl, he thought, annoyed.

"Plan," River spoke, her back straightening. In a blink of an eye, she was peering around the branches and looking out at the ship.

Once again, it was seemingly unoccupied.

"Still think my plan'd work," Jayne told her. "Ain't nobody there. An' you genius could…ya know, disable the electricity."

River gave him a look. "Only security personnel have the disablement code. I lack the sufficient data to disarm the electrical impulses. And there are soldiers in the ship. Watching and waiting."

"For?" Jayne probed, returning her look.

Her head tilted. "Absolute zero."

Jayne rolled his eyes. "Said that yesterday and I ain't gotta clue what the gorram hell that means, moonbrain."

"Molecules remain motionless."

Jayne's blank stare continued.

River sighed. "Simplistically: they are remaining here for an indefinite amount of time."

"Now why can't ya say that?" Jayne snapped. "Ya ain't gotta be all fancy-talk."

"I am not being 'all fancy-talk'," she mimicked Jayne's voice perfectly. "I'm merely stating the proper sequence."

Realizing her gorram smart brain didn't even comprehend his request, Jayne shook his head. "Whatever."

"This alters my plan greatly," River continued. "Guerilla warfare is no longer permissible."

"How 'bout we try it my way, _dong ma_?" Jayne said. "I ain't budging for 'nother hour, so sit tight and don't do a gorram thing."

River's lips tightened. "She refuses."

"An' don't talk in third-person," Jayne added, lying back on the ground. "It's creepifyin' and the like."

"And our escape?" River pressed, pushing the thick strands of hair over her shoulder.

Jayne's eyes drifted shut. "Gonna wait till I get myself 'nother hour of sleep, Crazy."

"Man-called-Jayne is all manner of useless," River proclaimed with a huff.

Jayne's eyes snapped open and he sat up quick, turning so he and River were face-to-face. "Listen, girl, you may be some…reaver-killin' machine, but I ain't useless. I've been killin' before you could spell."

River matched his intimidating glare. "I have been spelling properly since I was two. I was correcting Simon's spelling at age three. And _she_ most certainly does not appreciate your dominance strategy." After a long minute, their eyes broke apart.

"'Nother hour," Jayne mumbled just loud enough for her to hear. He tugged his jacket over his head, blocking out the sun.

"Fine."

* * *

"Attack?" Zoe echoed dubiously.

"With finesse," Mal reminded her. His pacing slowed to a halt. "You think it won't work?"

"With all respect, Sir, when has an attack ever gone nice and smooth?" Zoe asked with a raised brow.

Mal looked a little defensive. "Sometimes they do."

"Uh, as a person in favor of _not_ attacking," Wash interjected. "Why don't we just send a shuttle down and check things out? The moon's not so bad."

Mal narrowed his eyes at the pilot. "Wash, they shot at us! The whole gorram moon went crazy!"

Zoe silently shook her head at her husband.

Wash exhaled, leaning back in his chair. "I can see that I'm outnumbered."

"Actually," Simon finally spoke up. "An attack would be far worse than something simple, low-key. Even if it means waiting."

Turning to the doctor, Mal was visibly surprised. "Why the sudden change of heart, doc?"

"This." Simon held out a copy of an article.

Mal snatched it up and scanned it over. His face remained impassive as he read it again, slower.

Kaylee turned to her boyfriend. "What is it?"

"Sorry I didn't tell you about it earlier," Simon whispered and squeezed her hand.

Still confused, Kaylee returned the gesture, but her eyes were trained on the Captain.

"Mal?" Inara questioned, her hand hovering over his shoulder.

"Where did you find this?" Mal spoke, his words tight.

"Cortex," Simon answered. "I just found it a half-hour ago. I'm not sure exactly what it means, but—"

"It means," Mal interrupted. "I was right." Instead of joyful, his words were hollow.

"Right about what?" Kaylee pressed, her brow tightening. "I don't understand. What the hell is going on?"

"Alliance is going to all the boarder planets and moons to reestablish their control," Simon said for the Captain. "Specifically, they are eliminating any physical proof of Miranda."

Inara paused, her eyes glittering with recognition. "And I suppose we are considered physical proof?"

No one bothered to answer her, it was a rhetorical query.

Mal tossed the copy on the table where it slid and fell. "Like I said before, we ain't got no time to worry 'bout this. Right now, we need to get Jayne an' River back, and get as far away from this moon as possible."

* * *

"…Stage 2: Muscle mass will be used as food sources after depletion of carbohydrates. Then fat. Stage 3: Lesser organs begin to shut down. Four-chambered organ slows. Stage 4: Temporal and frontal lobes begin to shut down—"

"Gorrammit, girl, we ain't gonna starve!" Jayne hissed, glaring at River who was staring up at him through her hair.

"We would have to resort to cannibalism," River told him. She could fare without food for days; her training at the academy had dictated it, but Jayne…

"No talk 'bout cannibalism. Ain't human," he snapped at her.

"Your stomach is empty," she continued. "Fuel is needed."

Jayne just grunted. Truthfully, he was hungry, very hungry, but they had no food. More importantly, they had no water, which the moonbrain-girl conveniently forgot about.

"I have not forgotten," River corrected. "Just misplaced."

"You readin' my mind?" Jayne demanded, his eyes burning. "Hasn't I told you not to be doin' that? Ya piece of work, girl, I'll give ya that."

"Accidental. Collisions of uncalculated amounts of atoms. Boyle's Law," River told him with a smile. Suddenly it faltered. "I am not scared."

Jayne rolled his eyes at her. Of course, the girl had to use the crying bit on him. "Don't need to be," he told her reluctantly. "Got my gun here."

"Lucy."

"Well, yeah," Jayne said, shifting. "How'd ya know?"

River dark eyes slid to his blue ones and then back down to the ground.

"Right," Jayne mumbled. Reader. He watched her for a moment, taking in her jerky motions and flickering eyes blinking madly.

"Hey…ya alright?"

"I…she…" Her eyes fluttered. "Dehydration." Her body swayed dangerously.

"Aw hell," Jayne moved so she fell on him. "One thing I understand comin' out of your annoyin' mouth and it's a big pain in my ass."

River sagged against his broad chest. Her dainty feet folded beneath her.

"Hey, moonbrain." Jayne shook her not-so-gently. "Wake up."

Slightly disoriented, River opened her eyes, feeling Jayne's cotton shirt against her cheek. "Mmph."

"You awake?" He pestered.

"It went black." Her voice was whispery and soft

"Yeah, ya passed out. We gotta get some water and food, so stand up," Jayne instructed while strapping his gun on.

When River's knees trembled as she stumbled to her feet in an oddly ungraceful way, Jayne wrapped a large hand around the span of her waist. "Gotta carry ya, don't I?"

"Muscles," River mumbled, "weakness of my anterolateral muscles."

"Guess that means 'yes' in psycho-talk," Jayne retorted and bent over, a hand under her knees and another around her back. Light as the feather that she was, he easily managed to hold her.

"Gotta eat more," he told her as he ducked out from their hiding spot, keeping his back tight against the cliff.

"My mass/height ratio is standard," River replied, her voice faint.

"Yer like a damn twig," Jayne shot back as his back scraped against the dust rock.

"Slender," River corrected with a distant uncanny smile. "A creature of extraordinary grace must keep her figure, must keep her strength, must cultivate her mind."

Jayne got an uneasy feeling she was reciting verbatim. "That so? Those _hun dans_ at the academy tell ya that?"

Without responding, River's eyes drifted shut.

"_Wo de ma!"_

Let me know what you think! And thanks for all the great reviews—much appreciated! J


	5. Run

Chapter Five: Run

Jayne didn't have a gorram clue where he was going.

He glanced down at the girl in his arms, her delicate features smooth. Never, he realized, had he actually _looked_ at the _feng-le _girl. 'xcept the time she'd come flyin' outta the freeze-box naked.

A faint whistling sigh escaped River's lips, and her face turned inward, pressing against Jayne's bicep.

"Come on, Crazy, wake up," he grumbled, shifting her in his arms.

River just remained limp in his arms, her slender legs dangling over.

"Aw hell," Jayne said in disgust at the girl curling into him like a puppy for the second time in as many days.

Soft, he decided, he was damn well goin' soft.

As he continued walking through the dusty dirt, Jayne noticed a few abandoned shambles of homes littered along a path that could pass for a road. At least they were heading to town, he thought.

A few people were reclining out in the sun, their worn clothes indicating the lack of wealth or technology on the moon. It reminded Jayne a bit of his home, but even worse off.

"Hmm…" River mumbled, her mouth slipping open.

Jayne ignored her, and followed the dusty path as it turned into a more distinct road. The town was a series of small shops with a large market in the middle. Trying to look inconspicuous despite his size, his gun and, of course, River in his arms, Jayne stopped in front of a little booth.

"Water," he told the wizened man with his most intimidating look.

The old man shoved the bottle at Jayne. "I-It's free."

Jayne grunted and reached forward to grab the bottle. "Crazy, wake up," he snapped at the brunette, trying to slide her out of his arms.

River's eyes fluttered and she swallowed hard, coughing a little. Jayne popped open the bottle and handed her it. She let the liquid trail down her throat before gulping it greedily.

"Slow down," Jayne told her gruffly, yanking it out of her mouth.

Water rivulets trailed down her chin, splattering on her dress. River blinked and coughed again. "Hydrogen and oxygen molecules." She told him sensibly.

"Ya got any money?" Jayne asked, holding out his hand.

River stared at it and then looked up with a raised brow.

"Right, doc don't give ya no money," he remembered. "Fine. I'll buy us a coupla pot stickers."

He dug his hand in the deep pockets of his pants, pulling out just enough coin. "Hey," he said forcefully, catching River's attention. "Don't go nowhere. _Dong ma?_"

River bobbed her head, her knees tucked under her chin. "Chicken."

"What?" Jayne asked, trying to discern the random word.

"I like the chicken ones," River added further. "Pot stickers."

Feeling stupid, Jayne just brushed off her request. "Yeah, whatever. Now, stay like a good crazy person."

River seemed gone already, her eyes dancing over the milieu. Jayne huffed, muttering under his breath as he shoved his way back through the crowd. He found the vendor and placed his money down, receiving two chicken pot stickers, as requested.

Jayne squeezed between two heavyset woman back to the corner he'd left River. He stopped at the empty sight. Gorrammit! His jaw tightened. He had specifically told her not to go anywhere and she didn't listen to a single word.

Spinning around, Jayne pushed through the gaggle of people, retracing his steps. Maybe she had followed him. Or maybe, he thought grimly, she got taken.

Jayne kept moving, his eyes sharp and his body tense. A cool sensation gripped his insides. Fear.

Fear of Mal spacing him the second he realized he'd lost the stupid girl.

A flash of long tangled hair caught his eye followed by a slender figure in a dress. Jayne halted and spun around, confirming that the girl was, in fact, River.

He barreled over to her, tugging on her arm hard enough to make her stumble. "What the gorram fucking hell do ya think yer doin'?"

River visibly shrank back at the anger flying in sparks. "I found David and Goliath," she half-whispered.

Jayne tightened his grip. "I very specific-like told ya not to go nowhere!"

"Double negatives equal a positive." This time River's voice was its normal balanced tone.

"Wha-?" Jayne shook his head. "Nevermind. Don't care." He glanced down at the food in his hands, slightly dented in his rage, and handed her one.

River took the pot sticker and nibbled along the edges. Flavor burst on her lips and tongue and she eagerly finished the snack, licking her fingers.

Jayne gobbled his as well, wiping his hands off on his pants. Suddenly, a small hand darted out and roughly rubbed down his leg.

"Hey!" He exclaimed, jumping back with a scowl.

Too late, River giggled a little. "My digits were greasy."

"I ain't yer napkin," he told her fiercely. "Wipe yer hands on yer dress."

River primly bent over, picking up a trampled flower. She'd already lost interest in Jayne's complaining. The petals were flaccid and a dirty yellow, but the texture was smooth.

"Five petals my darling girl," River intoned, her voice accented.

Jayne opened his mouth to make a rude comment about her crazy talk, when a loud shot ricocheted in the market. Immediately, he grabbed Lucy, his finger ready on the trigger.

At the sound, River had recoiled, dropping the flower and letting out a startled scream.

"Shut up!" Jayne hissed, moving to block the slight brunette with his sizeable form. He could feel a shudder running through her body before turning taut.

Tension stifled in the air along with the hot noon sun. Jayne's height gave him an advantage and he saw an Alliance soldier dead on the ground, a rim officer standing over him with a gun.

Several shouts clamored in cacophony and murmur rippled through the marketplace. Jayne was ready for whatever came next.

The wailing of an Alliance mule, much classier than _Serenity's_, alerted the citizens and they moved back to let the mule through.

Jayne couldn't hear what was being said, but judging from their body language, it wasn't anything good.

"Fear." River's one-word commentary was muffled by Jayne's broad back.

He silently agreed as he kept watching the exchange. The Alliance general aimed his high-tech gun at the rim officer who got to his knees.

As the general reached out to handcuff the officer, several shots rang out again and everyone started moving at high-speed.

Jayne hauled River out of her crouched position and hurried them both away from the commotion.

He slammed his back against a side of a building. River did the same, but leaned her head forward to watch the stampede of the people jostling by.

Her whiskey eyes were wide with curiosity. "Course of action?" She looked up a Jayne whose face hardened.

"We stay hid till Mal comes back."

River nodded, her eyes frozen. She edged her toe forward, angling herself to see better, but the unexpected rush of people down the alley somehow knocked sent her sprawling out into the main street.

Jayne darted out to grab her and run when a loudspeaker announcement boomed, "By the order of Alliance, all persons are bound by law until further notice!"

Gritting his teeth, Jayne helped River up and stood by her side. "If we git arrested 'cause of you, Crazy, they ain't gonna have time to send you back to yer academy."

River gave him a angry look. "I have no control the laws of motion. I merely adhere to them."

"Fuck that, moonbrain," Jayne growled. "Yer like a gorram magnet for trouble."

River sighed a little. "Like a lightening rod. Perhaps your theory is correct."

Abruptly, her defiant stance relaxed and her cool hand slid in his. "Remember," she whispered softly, her voice mirroring his, "My name is Mrs. River Cobb."

Jayne's cerulean eyes popped open. "No! What the sphincter hell—"

"I'm sorry," a shadow slid behind the pair. "Am I interrupting?"

* * *

"Cap'n? I hate to be bothersome, but we have a problem," Kaylee broke through the silence timidly.

"An' what would that be?" Mal asked exhaustedly. He had too many gorram problems.

"Fuel," Kaylee got straight to the point. "We ain't gonna make it waitin' here if we don't refuel."

Mal's eyes widened as his sucked air in through his nose. "Well, guess we'll have ta fuel her up planet-side. Hera's a relatively calm planet, shouldn't be too troublesome."

"Sorry, Cap'n," Kaylee said softly, her eyes downcast.

"Ain't your fault, lil' one. Ain't your fault," Mal told her. He stood up, resuming his efficient demeanor. "Go tell the crew an' I'll tell Wash to take us down. We'll be there by 1700."

"Yessir," Kaylee nodded and vanished out of the kitchen area.

Mal looked around, his eyes closing. "'Verse definitely don't like me today."


	6. Disguise

(A/N: Sorry for the delay, I got a little stuck and then other ideas came for different stories--damn you muse—but I'm good again)

**Chapter Six: Disguise **

River daintily turned to the uniformed man, her chin tilted up defiantly. "M' husband an' I is wonderin' what in the hell is goin' on."

Jayne worked hard to keep his jaw dropping from the sudden shift in River's personality. Her voice alone was creepy—it mirrored his own.

The man stoically stood there. "Name?"

"Jayne Cobb," he managed, his back rigid.

"River Cobb," she replied coolly. Her fingers laced through Jayne's tighter.

The officer glanced down at the template in his hand. "Are you from around here?"

River shook her head. "No we ain't. Just lookin' for work is all."

Jayne's eyes stayed trained on the officer, keeping his jaw tight. He watched as the man shifted, lifting a hand to his ear.

"Funny, I don't see rings," the officer commented causally, his gaze flickering to their locked hands.

Jayne swore his heart stopped at the man's words. Next to him, River stiffened.

"Ain't gotta 'nough money," Jayne heard himself say, trying to relax.

The officer's face remained impassive. "ident, please," he said curtly, holding up a portable ident scanner.

Jayne's teeth gritted together as he handed his card over. On his template, his picture and information appeared.

"Jayne Cobb," the man read out loud. "Bound by law 4 times…seems you've had a little problem firing unregistered guns and smuggling." He looked up at River. "Alright, _Mrs. Cobb_, ident card."

River kept her head down, stepping back slowly.

"Ma'am," the officer's voice edgy. "I will hold you in contempt of the law if you do not show me your ident."

Faster than Jayne's eyes could follow, River's leg shot out, kicking the scanner out of the officer's hands. It landed behind him, shattering on impact.

This time, River glanced up through her snarled hair, her whole body humming with tension.

Gorram girl, Jayne thought, readying himself for a fight. His hand inched towards Lucy.

Suddenly, in a flurry of motion, River spun around kicking the officer square in the jaw. Flipping forward, she pressed her foot on the officer's larynx.

He gasped like a fish out of water, struggling.

"Moonbrain," Jayne hissed, glancing around to see if they'd drawn attention. "Knock 'em out."

River looked down with cold, blank eyes, pressing harder as the man's eyes bulged.

Jayne stomped over, yanking River off the man before hitting him in the head. The man's head lolled to the side, unconscious.

Grabbing River's arm, Jayne growled. "You crazier than normal? We ain't gonna get nowhere if you attract unfriendly attention."

River shook involuntarily, her eyes squeezed shut, small tears leaking out. "I did not want to go back. Needles and wires. Nightmares."

Jayne could feel his anger slip a notch. Much as her craziness annoyed the hell out of him, he drew the line at hacking at little girls' brains. Ain't right.

"Can't stay here," he grumbled. "Ain't safe. We gotta move."

"Haven," River whispered, still quivering. "We need one."

"Right 'bout that," Jayne conceded. "Problem is I don't know this sorry-ass moon."

River didn't respond as Jayne ushered them through the back alleys. They kept moving until they reached the fringes of the town where they finally slowed.

"Need a place not suspicious-like," Jayne mumbled mostly to himself. "No boarding house an' whatnot."

"Hearth and home," River spoke, her voice wispy. "Five petals." She dropped Jayne's hand unceremoniously and skipped towards a cluster of worn houses.

Jayne hedged along side her, wondering what the hell she was doing. They didn't have time for her crazy games or backward riddles. He reached out to pull the girl so they could get moving again, when shouts erupted from inside one of the houses.

River spun around, tugging on Jayne's shirt. "If a tree falls in the middle of the woods no one can hear it. Just wavelengths and vibrations. But they call, they have voice!"

Jayne half-heartedly pushed the girl off his shirt and away from her grabby fingers. "'s just arguin', Crazy. Ain't no business of ours."

"For us!" River said determinedly. She headed to the house with a faded pink door and, of all things, knocked.

Of course, no one opened the door, and River took it upon herself to bust it open with a solidly-placed kick. The wood buckled and splintered at the force. The lock slipped off, and River could easily step inside.

She peered around a corner, her long hair falling over her shoulder. "I found you," she announced.

Two armed officers spun around, the guns firmly fixed on River's head.

"Miss, please exit the house," one of the men told her, his voice edged with tension.

The second one's gaze suddenly slipped up, his jaw sagging open.

River felt a thread of a smile peeking on her lips. The solid shadow behind her lifted his arm up, his gun clicking.

"Sir, this is official Alliance business," the first told Jayne, worry seeping across his features.

Jayne slid a glance to the cowering family and to the broken objects scattered around. "Don't look too o-fi-cial."

River took a step forward. "You like taking things that are not yours. You like hurting people. That's not the law." Her chin tilted up, her whole body on edge, ready and waiting.

The second regained his composure. "Don't take another step, miss, or I will be forced to shoot you."

"Ya ain't gonna be shootin' her," Jayne told him. "'Cause I'll make yer death mighty painful if ya do so."

River found her opportunity to attack when the two Feds glanced at each other for a split second. She bound across the room, doing a seemingly impossible kick in midair, sending the first Fed sprawling.

She landed gracefully on her feet, sweeping her foot out, tripping the second Fed. He moaned as his head hit the hard surface.

Jayne stood over the man, gun to his face. "Move an' yer face'll be in pieces," he warned.

The man groaned, his hand falling to his side. "What do you want? Money?" He mumbled.

Sighing, Jayne proceeded to knock the man out. "No ruttin' clue," he said, "but I'll take money."

River approached the family. "Nothing to fear," she told them seriously. "We have rendered the Alliance Federal Officers unconscious."

With scared eyes, the five children stared up at the strange pair. Jayne caught sight of the scraggily hair, thin bodies and running noses.

"Aw hell," he grumbled as he shifted his gaze to the man in front, his hands outstretched to protect his family, shaking. "'s fine. They ain't gonna bother ya no more."

River faced the eldest daughter. She had dirty blonde hair and streaks of dirt on her cheek and chin. "You have a third eye," River said with laughter.

The girl went rigid, her eyes frozen in fear. The room was soundless save for a soft gasp from the girl's mother.

River held out her hand, smooth and pale. "Two of a kind," she added, smiling.

The girl relaxed, her mouth dropping in awe. She glanced down at River's hand and slowly grasped it with her own dirty one.

Jayne watched the exchange and realized that was the first time he had ever seen Crazy act…well, human.

The older woman cleared her throat. "So where ya folks from?"

"Huntington," River answered, glancing at Jayne. He nodded ever-so-slightly in acknowledgement of their lie.

"My," the wife straightened, her hands fluttering to pick up their meager belongings. "Yer far from home ain'tcha? Least a coupla days away."

"Yeah, we was lookin' for work," Jayne replied, putting Lucy away.

"Ya folks hafta stay," the eldest told them beneficially. "We got soup on the stove an' room for ya." She turned to River. "How long ya'll been married?"

Stiffening, Jayne refused to respond. He sure as hell didn't even want to pretend to be married to the crazy moonbrain, but it was a good cover.

"'bout 6 months," River replied, "but we can't stay." She tried to maintain her accent.

"Nonsense," the wife objected. "'s not everyday we git real live heroes savin' us from them Alliance."

The husband added, "Please, at the least stay for one night before ya head back to Huntington."

Knowing they were trapped without giving away their cover, Jayne resigned. "Yeah, alright."

A little girl, no more than six, tip-toed over to him, tugging on his pants. "Mister," the girl began with a lisp, "can I see yer gun?"

* * *

"Five minutes to atmo," Wash announced, flicking a couple of buttons.

Zoe gripped the back of her husband's chair, staring out at the wide view of the Hera coming up close.

"South Docks?" Mal asked, confirming their landing spot.

"Yes, sir," Wash replied, reaching forward. "Might be a bit bumpy."

True to his words, _Serenity_ rumbled as it descended into atmo, jolting the remaining crew as they walked through the ship.

"Ouch," Kaylee grimaced, rubbing the sore spot on her head.

Simon reached out and wrapped an arm around her waist, tugging her down to the chair next to him. "You alright?"

Kaylee opened her mouth to say 'yes' but instead said, "No."

"What's wrong?" Simon reached up to feel the back of her head, but she stopped him with a hand on his.

"I'm just worried," she told him softly, holding his hand.

Simon swallowed. If Kaylee was worried…"They're fine," he said firmly, "So long as they don't kill each other."

"No," Kaylee corrected him, "not 'bout that. Well, them too, but also…there's somethin' I've been meanin' to tell ya 'cept…"

"What _bao-bei_?" Simon persisted as the ship rumbled and bucked again.

"I…" Kaylee stopped. "I'll tell ya later. I gotta go check on her engine. The synchronizers are bound to snap with us bumpin'."

Simon watched in puzzlement as Kaylee skittered out of the mess towards the engine room.

"Uh…okay?"

* * *

"Ya leavin'?"

Inara spun around, her silk dress swishing. "I have a client."

Mal tried to push the painful knot in his stomach away. "Right, been neglectin' the whorin' lately. Gotta make up for it."

Inara's mouth parted open in annoyance, a retort ready on her tongue. "Mal…"

Mal crossed his arms. "What?"

She sighed. "Never mind."

"What?" He repeated feeling off-center. Wasn't she supposed to be saying something about him being a 'petty thief' right about now?

Inara made it halfway into her shuttle before she turned around. "You know, I could have gone back to the Training House or to a core planet. You're right, I'm neither a thief nor an ex-soldier," she stopped, shaking her head. "It's strange; I can't even remember why I decided to stay."

Mal blinked. He hadn't been expecting this; he'd gotten so used to them falling back into their respective roles that her leaving the first time had faded away, a barely visible scar.

"We can drop ya off anytime ya like," he told her seriously.

"We'll discuss it when I return at 1600," she said coolly, sliding the shuttle door shut.

"_Hao de_," Mal replied to the cold metal door.

(_Hao de_: okay)


	7. Closer

**Chapter Seven: Closer**

"Captain, we're all set!" Kaylee shouted from inside the engine room.

Mal walked briskly pass the room, placing his gun in a holster hidden by his long jacket. "_xie-xie."_

"Zoe." Mal motioned for the tall woman to stand besides him. "Cargo secured?"

"Affirmative," she replied with a nod. "Ya alright?"

Mal shrugged her concern off. "Just wanna git my crew back an' git far away from here."

"Understandable," Zoe agreed. "Wash an' I are gonna listen to scanners, see if we can pick up anything on Jayne an' River."

Mal nodded. "Good, I'm headed to negotiate prices with the _pigu_ runnin' the fueling station."

Zoe hesitantly added, "Sir?"

"What?" Mal said loudly.

"Never mind," Zoe replied quickly, turning to walk up the stairs.

"What? Somethin' wrong?" Mal repeated.

"It's just," she paused and then continued, "I heard you an' Inara talkin', an' I was just wonderin'—"

"_Aiya!_ Ya were spyin' on us?" Mal demanded angrily.

"No, sir," Zoe corrected calmly, "I was passin' by, but don't you think yer were a little hard on her?"

"Hard on her?" Mal echoed incredulously. "She's the one who brought the whole gorram thing up!"

Zoe gave the Captain a doubtful look before continuing, "I know it ain't my business, but if I loved someone, I'd do everythin' to keep 'em from leavin'."

Mal stared at his first mate for a few seconds, silence envolping the pair. "Yer right, it ain't yer business," he said finally.

Zoe nodded. "Of course." She went up the stairs, disappearing down the hall to the bridge.

"Gorrammit," Mal muttered stomping out of the ship. He handed his coin over to a worker and signed _Serenity_ in.

"Be 'bout two hours," the man said in monotone.

"Fine," Mal replied. He turned back around, pressing the comm. button. "Zoe, send the doc down, we're headed to town."

"Yes sir," came the crackled reply.

Minutes later, Simon, looking unusually harried, appeared. "Did you need something?"

"You an' me are pickin' up stuff. Kaylee said she gave ya the list for the ship," Mal told the doctor as he slid another gun in a holster around his ankle.

"Oh!" Simon patted his pockets until he found the scrap of paper. "Here."

Mal gave him a look. "Hold on to it. 'm gonna need an extra hand without…" he trailed off and then shook his head. "Let's go."

Simon nodded quickly, understanding the meaning. The quicker they got things done, the faster he could get River back to safety.

* * *

"Mighty fine meal, ma'am," Jayne said loudly, leaning back in his seat. Everyone was seated around a makeshift table, finishing the last of the watery soup.

"Please," the woman tucked a strand of dark blonde hair behind her ear. "Call me Astrid. After what ya'll done today, ain't gonna accept nothin' else."

River took another small sip of soup. She paused, sending Jayne a curious glance. Maybe he had more common sense than she had previously thought. They needed to establish a sense of trust in order to lie low.

"River?"

The slender brunette jerked back to the external world, blinking. The eldest, Moira, was looking at River expectantly. "I apologize; I inadvertently missed your inquiry," she spoke, and then realized her mistake. Instead of her rough accent, she had slipped back into the cultured tone of the Core.

Moira hesitated only for a moment before repeating her question, "Wanna help with dishes? My turn tonight."

"'Course," River replied breezily, her false accent back in place.

Moira collected dishes, piling them in her hands with her head bowed. River imitated the girl's actions, her eyes firmly fixed on the blonde's. Even if she hadn't been a Reader, River could have easily picked up the thread of distrust snaking from Moira.

River's natural grace and mathematical mind allowed her to balance at least twice the amount of dishes Moira had carried into the kitchen. One by one, River calculatingly set each dish by the sink.

"Why're ya lyin'?" Moira questioned after closing the door.

Not surprised, River didn't look up from her task. "The truth is relative."

"Don't be usin' none of yer fancy talk," Moira said harshly, dropping the spoons in the sink with a clatter. "I ain't gonna let my family git used or hurt."

River looked into Moira's eyes searchingly. "Paper thin walls separate us…it is feasible to know too much."

Moira swallowed. "Don't matter."

Turning away, River scrubbed at the dishes methodically. "They kept her in a box inside a box. They cut into her brain to heighten aptitudes…they thought their experiments were justifiable means for an altruistic end."

Moira gasped slightly, her hands shaking. Reaching out slowly, she touched River's shoulder. "Why'd they…?"

River met her gaze. "Two of a kind," she told her, "a valuable mechanism to harvest to its full potential."

Moira's brow furrowed as she tried to understand her. "They went into yer brain to…" suddenly, all the words clicked together, "they could use it, use the way ya an' I know stuff."

"Yes," River answered.

"Someone rescued ya," Moira continued, looking at the brunette for conformation.

"My brother, Simon," River gave a bittersweet smile. "He gave up his world to save me. I am very grateful."

"An' Jayne…he really yer husband?" Moira's eyebrow rose doubtfully.

"In a manner of speaking," River allowed, "reduces complexity in explanations." She patted her hands dry.

Moira's nose wrinkled in confusion at the latter statement. "Ain't sure what that means," she said slowly.

"Doesn't matter," River shrugged. "Irrelevant to your qualms."

"Ya both can stay tonight," Moira began with finality. "But I think it'd be best if ya left early." She met River's eyes carefully.

"I understand," the brunette replied. "Self-perseveration is optimal."

Moira couldn't help but laugh a little. "Anyone ever tell ya ain't quite right? I barely understand what yer sayin'."

Knowing the blonde's words were without malice, River gave a sheepish smile. "Hundreds of times."

Moira reached over the sink to put back the dish soap. "Thanks for helpin'."

"A tangible expression of appreciation," River replied, placing the last spoon away. "I like the inflexible pattern."

"Girls?" Astrid's voice drifted through the door. "Ya 'bout done in there? Jayne here's been waitin' for his wife to git outta there."

River froze, her hand hovering over the doorknob. In concentrating on her discussion with Moira, she had not noticed the shimmering anger outside of the door—Jayne.

Clearly the blonde had caught on to River's concern, because she glanced over, her face quirked in confusion.

"Without our disguise, we are vulnerable," River tried to explain, "I've put him in harm's way."

Frowning, Moira shook her head. "I'd never rat ya out, honest! 'sides I don't fancy goin' to that school of yers."

"Logical, however, Jayne does not know that."

With an apologetic shrug, Moira opened the door. "Just explain."

Too bad the girl didn't know how difficult that might be, River acknowledged. She turned to face Jayne who stood there with his arms crossed, his face set hard.

"River," he said gruffly, "can I talk ta ya?"

She nodded and followed the large man into the small bathroom. As soon as the door was shut and locked, Jayne faced River with a furious expression.

"Why in the gorram sphincter of hell did ya tell the girl 'bout ya?" He roared.

River winced. Undoubtedly, the flimsy walls didn't contain the sound of Jayne's yelling. "I have no need to validate my proceedings," she huffed.

Jayne purposefully invaded her personal space, and River involuntarily shrank back. "I don't give a _fei fei de pi yan_ if ya wanna send yerself back to Alliance folk, but I ain't gonna be taken or killed 'cause ya gotta death wish."

Maintaining her ground, River shot back, "She will not hand us over."

"An' how can ya be sure of that?" Jayne hissed.

River drew herself up, confident in her next words. "She comprehends what is at stake."

"An' what's that?" Jayne asked angrily.

"Her brain," River answered simply before opening the door and exiting.

Jayne stood there, his eyes burning holes in River's retreating form. He didn't understand how she could tell a random person her secret and risk getting sent back to the Academy. Maybe she really wasn't that smart after all.

But then again, he remembered reluctantly, River's a Reader; she could tell if someone really meant to hurt them. Still didn't mean Jayne was going to be trusting the _feng-le_ girl anytime soon.

He sighed, feeling the day's activities taking a toll on him. For sure, he thought, Mal'd come rescue him tomorrow. Now he just had to put up with the ever-changing moonbrain.

* * *

"Well, here's yer room," Astrid announced. "Make yerselves comfortable an' I'll see ya both in the mornin'."

"Thanks," Jayne said vaguely, staring at the tiny single bed.

Astrid mistook the pair's silence for exhaustion. "Go sleep, seems like ya both're done in." Hearing a yell from down the hall, she spun around, "Delaney, if ya ain't in bed by the time I count ta three, ya ain't gittin' no dessert tomorrow night!"

"Night," she said quickly to the 'couple' before chasing the little boy.

River shut the door, slipped out of her boots and headed for the bed. "Due to your substantially larger mass, you should sleep on the floor," she said conversationally.

"Hell no, girl. I ain't sleepin' on the hard floor," he retorted. "An' since yer crazy, you sleep on the floor."

They stared each other down for a minute before River broke her gaze, rolling her eyes. She pulled back the covers, wiggling in. "Stalemate," she determined. "Both of us must equally share the cot."

Jayne eyed her suspiciously. "Yer gonna try an' kill me in my sleep, ain'tcha?"

Surprised, River blinked. "Of course not. Such an act would severely minimize probability of finding _Serenity_."

Approaching the bed cautiously, Jayne tried again, "I ain't gonna coddle ya if ya git nightmares."

River gave him a look. "_Your_ proposal would be to knock me out."

Jayne shrugged. "Prob'ly true. Now, move over, Crazy."

River complied, curling herself on the edge of the cot to leave a good distance between them. Jayne awkwardly lay flat on his back, keeping his arms pinned to his sides.

"River murmured, "Effective conservation of surface area." Her voice was suddenly thick with sleep.

"Yeah," Jayne yawned, equally lethargic.

"Don't let the…space…bugs…nibble," River breathed the last word before slipping off into slumber.

Jayne had fell asleep before she even spoke.

Jayne's big hands coasted along womanly curves as his lips danced on the whore's neck. She smelled like spice and a distinct sweet smell he couldn't quite place. His hands continued their venture down taunt, smooth legs and back up again.

A soft, delicate moan escaped the woman's mouth, encouraging Jayne. This time he let his hands slide up her inner thighs—not quite _there._

He could feel her pushing back against his erection, seeking friction, and Jayne happily provided it. He ground himself against her as his hands once again slide down the inside of her thighs and back up, a little closer.

The whore's breathing hitched as he skimmed up her flat stomach, inching further up. Jayne cupped her fabric-covered breasts, letting his fingers run underneath and then over her hard nipples.

She felt smaller than he would have thought, but still fantastic with smooth, supple skin. His lips rested at the base of her neck and he inhaled spice and…vanilla.

"J-Jayne?"

Feeling like he was immerging from a fog, Jayne blinked. His hands stilled on the whore's breasts except…

River's eyes were coated in sleep as she twisted in Jayne's grasp, meeting his face. "What are you doing?"

"_Wo de ma!_" Jayne yanked his hands off her as if he had been burned. He rubbed his eyes, praying that he hadn't just been touching Crazy. Nope, she was still staring up at him waiting for an answer.

"I…gorrammit…I didn't mean ta…" he stuttered, floundering for a moment before letting out a sharp exhale. "I was just sleepin'. Weren't nothin', Crazy. Go back to sleep an' forget 'bout this."

River tilted her head at him, a perfect picture of innocent perplexity. "Forget what?"

Jayne's mouth opened a little and then he snapped it shut. "Right," he mumbled under his breath. He hugged his edge of the bed, keeping his body unnaturally still. After a few moments, the sound of River's breathing slowed.

Despite the fact he tried every trick in the book to fall back to sleep, Jayne still found himself staring at the opposite wall, wide awake.

His mind kept wandering back to the feel of supple skin, the smell of spice and vanilla, and gorram big brown eyes.


	8. Attempt

Chapter Eight: Attempt

As the sun poured in through the cracks of the boarded up window, River's eyes fluttered open. It took her a moment to assess her surroundings, specifically the large warm object encircling her.

Shifting slowly, River thought of the multiple ways to alert Jayne to their situation. She leaned in, close enough to study the lines on his face, close enough to see the individual hairs of his stubble. Her eyes slid to his mouth.

She understood perfectly the sexual association with the oral cavity—kissing, licking, sucking…

Curiosity blossomed in her mind as a primal sensation tightened in her body. She'd had sexual dreams before; after all she was a teenager, a hormonal creature. But they paled in comparison to the previous night.

For all her knowledge, all the data she had accumulated, River never could have predicted the intensity of the physical action.

Reaching out, she shoved Jayne's shoulder while unraveling herself from their intimate position.

His actions at night had been a ghostly reflection of his own sexual dream—one without her.

She had merely been a vessel for his relief. And the envious emotion coursing through her took River by surprise, but she would respect the boundaries Jayne had enforced.

Forget.

"Jayne," she whispered impatiently, slapping his meaty shoulder. "Must emerge from restful state."

He let out a groan, his large hand coming up to rub his eyes. "'snot time to git up."

"Incorrect assumptions," River rectified, sitting up straight. "The sun is up, makes the shadows disappear, time to go, time to go."

She clamored out of the bed, feeling claustrophobic. "Move, increase rate, decrease time," she muttered, slipping her shoes on.

"Knock it off, 'm tryin' ta sleep," Jayne mumbled sleepily.

River darted over to the bed, pulling back the thin cover. "Time to go!"

Annoyed, Jayne sat up, glaring at her hard. "Y've lost all yer marbles, Crazy."

Breathing heavily, River backed up, glancing around her wildly. "No place to hide! Shrivel up…like a worm, make you think nothing!"

Jayne stood up, taking two large steps and gripped the slight brunette's arms. "Stop it!" he hissed, shaking her a little. "Ya ain't gonna go crazy on me, _dong ma_? I ain't yer brother or Kaylee or even Mal, I ain't gonna put up with this _feng-le go-se_. So, ya best be shuttin' up _now_."

River drew in a raggedy mouthful of air, her eyes shifting around, murmuring under her breath.

Gripping tighter, Jayne repeated, "_Dong ma_?"

River nodded shakily, pulling away. "You have broken my blood vessels; I'll turn black and blue."

Jayne's eyes narrowed. "Ya over yer lil' breakdown?"

"Decomposition of molecules in the brain, stitched out of sequence," River amended, then, "yes."

Rolling his eyes, Jayne stalked over to his own shoes, yanking them on. "Ya best stay that way, Moonbrain, 'cause I don't stand for that _fei-wu._"

Instead of retorting, River simply said, "We should progress downstairs."

Cautiously, Jayne followed her, watching her now-fluid movements. Frankly, it wasn't so much that she was going crazier, but that the improvement since Miranda could be broken so easily.

Jayne allowed a good distance between them as they entered the tiny kitchen. Only Moira was up at the ungodly break of dawn hour. She stood rigidly by the small counter with a basket in hooked on her arm.

"No one else's up," she began in a hushed voice. "I made some tea, but…"

"Sun's up," River echoed her earlier words, this time peacefully.

Moira nodded nervously. "Yeah," she admitted, "an' I don't want nobody wakin' up seein' ya both leavin', too suspicious-like." She held out the basket. "Nothin' fancy in here, but there's a coupla sandwiches an' juice."

River accepted the basket, holding it as if it were made of precious glass. "Thank you."

Moira gave a bittersweet smile. "'m sorry ya couldn't stay longer, maybe next time."

"Yes, conceivably another juncture," River replied appropriately, even though they both knew they couldn't be in close proximity of each other—not with the Alliance and the Academy.

The three walked to the door silently, and Moira opened the door, letting sunlight spill in.

"Bye," Jayne acknowledged, "an' thanks for the food."

"G'bye now," Moira said, trying to keep her smile as she slowly shut the door. "Stay safe."

"Farewell," River replied, slipping out the door. "And_ feng xin_. We will find our home."

We have to, she added silently.

* * *

Mal paced outside of the shuttle, his whole body tense with anxiety. He couldn't even reason with himself. They had agreed to meet at 1600, just after Inara had docked and they were out of atmo, and now it was 16:21 and Mal couldn't let himself knock. 

Suddenly, the heavy door slid open to reveal an impatient Inara. Her arms were crossed, her brow quirked, and yet entirely graceful. "How much longer do you intend to stand out here, Mal? I do have things to attend to."

"I was just—" Knowing his no explanation could cover him, Mal shot back, "Well, so do I, some Captain-y things."

Inara just retreated inward to her richly decorated shuttle, seating herself on a love couch.

Mal followed, feeling a little strange, as always, with the luxury. "Ya ain't gonna use yer feminie wiles again, are ya?"

Shooting Mal a look, Inara primly crossed her ankles to the side. "First, I was just offering tea to begin a business meeting, and second, you have made it quite clear how you feel about civilized traditions."

"Don't mean a thing out here," Mal said, trying to keep with the banter, but his tone was tinged with weightiness.

"Yes," Inara replied, her voice equally heavy, "precisely." Abruptly, her demeanor changed. "Anyway, I have our original contract here," she placed a booklet on the table.

Mal reached out for the booklet at the same time Inara did, and they both recoiled at the touch of their hands.

"Sorry," they mumbled unison.

Inara motioned for Mal to take it, and he did, opening it up. He skimmed over the printed words, not bothering to read it. "Well, look's fine," he said awkwardly, then frowned. "Why're we doin' this? Last time, ya just up an' left."

"Last time I needed—" Inara cut herself off, trying to regain composure. "I felt it was necessary to remove myself immediately."

"From what?" Mal challenged, his eyes sparking with anger.

Inara paused. "You know what," she murmured softly.

"No, I don't," Mal countered forcefully. "We've been dancin' over this gorram thing since ya left an' then came back. I don't want—" This time he stopped, swearing under his breath.

"You don't want what, Mal?" Inara pressed, relieved for the shift in roles.

Mal met her eyes. "Don't want complications."

Inara could see the determination his steely gaze directed at her—a complication. "I see," she said slowly, hurt burrowing its way into her voice.

"This was yer idea, remember?" Mal told her, "Ya wanted this meetin' an' now ya got it."

"I just wanted," Inara began and then changed her words. "I would prefer to be dropped of at the Training House, but I understand that with the Alliance, you need to drop me off somewhere further out."

"Persephone?" Mal asked.

"If the interplanetary transportation is extensive enough to get me home," Inara replied coolly, pocketing the booklet on the table.

"No more than a day or two," Mal said shortly. "You'll be able to git on with the whorin' just fine." He gave her a deprecating smile.

Inara scoffed. "Of course, you can't resist a jab at my _legitimate _occupation."

"No, I just don't see how ya can keep bein' a Companion knownin' what the Alliance has done to all those folks on Miranda, to River, an' who knows how many others!" Mal exploded, jerking out of his seat.

There was a deadly calm surrounding them, a strange quiet after the Captain's outburst. Inara lifted her gaze from her lap, her eyes glittering with unshed tears. "_I know_, okay? I know that continuing as a Companion is supporting the Alliance, but Mal…what can I do?"

"Leave."

The word hung in the air, a thin crystal quivering. Inara contemplated the single action. No more pretending. The idea was tempting, but then she remembered the years she spent dedicating her life to her studies, her promises, her status, too many people depended on her. "I can't."

Mal glanced away, before adding, "Maybe ya could leave for a little while, a watch ya call it-sabbatical."

Inara hesitated. She could, she realized, take leave for a while, gather her bearings before making a real decision. "I suppose," she said carefully.

Nodding, Mal encouraged the line a thought. "An' _Serenity _can always use another hand."

A small but genuine smile tugged at Inara's painted lips. "I love _Serenity._ No other place I could be." She met Mal's eyes, watching as a reflection of her smile graced his face.

"We'll—"

"Sorry to interrupt, Captain," Zoe's crackling voice announced, "but we got somethin' off the scanners."

"Aw _aiya tian a_…"

* * *

"It wasn't me." River sliced through the thick silence that had enveloped her and Jayne since they had left Moira's home. 

"What's that?" Jayne asked, his eyes peeled for any suspicious activity.

"Earlier, in the bedroom," River's voice gained volume, "I thought they were my thoughts, but they weren't. Didn't belong to me, not mine."

Jayne spared her a glance. "'s nothin', Crazy, just keep on lookin' for trouble 'fore it finds us."

"Not nothing, not equivalent to absence of matter," River pressed. She wanted Jayne to understand—he had to. "Sometimes—"

"Hey," Jayne cut her off sharply. "Don't matter. Back a while ago, Doc explained it. Ya feel everythin', can't help it."

River looked at him solemnly. "I thought I was better. Even though events did not proceed accordingly, I thought…maybe it wasn't mine either."

"Listen, Crazy, I ain't no expert, but yer gonna know what thoughts are yers and what ain't," Jayne told her, edging on annoyance. "Now be quiet-like while I figure this out."

"But that was the predicament," River explained, "Everything had the same classification and the same identification, there was a terrible confusion."

Jayne stopped abruptly. "Wanna know somethin'? I don't give a good gorram what yer crazy brain tells ya. What I do care 'bout is gettin' off this rock!"

"You are experiencing anger," River said evenly, tilting her face up to the sky.

Jayne glared at her, squinting in the sunlight. "Yeah," he said sarcastically, "I couldn't tell."

River looked at him in surprise. "Agitation, increased heart rate, clenched muscles—indicators of anger."

Jayne didn't even bother responded, just increased his pace, so River had to near skip to keep up with him.

"Shall we play a game to pass time?" River asked pleasantly.

"No."

"I propose we entertain with a rendition of 'Truth or Dare'," Rive continued as if Jayne had never spoken. "Kaylee taught me the logistics of the game—simple and effective for sleepovers."

Jayne grunted. "I ain't gonna start gigglin' an' braidin' yer hair all girl-like."

"No," River replied, "According to Sally and DNA, you have man-parts."

Wiping his head in River's direction, Jayne managed, "Sally?"

She gave him her patent 'duh' look, "At our last port of harbor, you took to bed a whore named Sally. Do you not remember your sexual companions?"

Normally no, Jayne thought. "What've I told ya 'bout fishin' 'round in my brain?" He said instead with a threatening look.

River's dainty nose crinkled. "I did not. Simon and I were waiting in the bar below the whorehouse, and I thought to explore the habitat of whores, so I ventured up the stairs and heard Sally proclaim 'yes, yes, fuck me with yer dick' noisily."

Jayne choked, his eyes wide. "Hell, what were ya doin'—ya know what? Yer gorram nuts!"

River paused, confused. "I merely wished to compare the sexual acts and compile an inventory for future use when I chose to engage in sexual intercourse."

"It ain't an experiment!" Jayne yelled. "Ya don't go 'round watchin' other folk doin' it. Ya gotta want it, gotta feel yer juices goin' an' all that tingle stuff girls get. Not just to gorram learn."

"I understand sexual urges," River replied, "sparks…lightening in my spine, in my belly, and hot blood racing…I comprehend."

Jayne shifted a little, feeling uncomfortable. "Well, then ya gotta act on them."

River's head tilted. "Contradictory," she announced, turning away, muttering under her breath. Breaking into a run, she moved ahead of Jayne to avoid looking at him. Why would he tell her such paradoxical tales?

"So, everyone understandin' the plan?" Mal asked, facing the crew.

"Yeah, 'cept, if Alliance knows 'bout Jayne an' River, or at least, something 'bout them, why we goin' down?" Kaylee asked.

"Way I figure," Zoe answered, "all they have are two men who were knocked unconscious sayin' the last people they remember was a big man and a little girl. Ain't much to go on for them, but for us…'sides one of 'em said girl was surprisingly agile—almost unreal."

"River," Simon said immediately. "So, what time are we landing?"

"Shouldn't be more than a half hour before we're there," Wash replied, "I got a good spot--a canyon. 'Least we'll hear anyone before they see us."

Mal exhaled. "Let's do this. Everybody git ready."

* * *

"_Ben hun-dan_," River muttered. 

"I can hear ya, Crazy," Jayne snapped for the third time. For the last twenty minutes, River had been huffing, swearing 'quietly' and glaring daggers at him.

Very annoying in the middle of nowhere.

Suddenly, River's head snapped up, and she picked up her pace. "Here!"

Jayne followed swiftly, fumbling around the massive rocks littered in his path. River merely darted around them before disappearing around a bend.

"Gorrammit," he muttered, speeding up around the curve, and promptly running straight into River who was standing still.

She caught her balance quickly, leaving Jayne to stumble forward. His eyes widened at the sight of a huge canyon that seemed out of place in the normally flat terrain—save for a few big rocks.

"Here," she repeated, smiling big. "Hello!" She shouted, her voice echoing.

Jayne's hand shot out to cover her mouth. "Did ya need to do that? Anyone miles nearby'll hear that, Moonbrain!"

River just smiled against his palm. "Redux." Her eyes slid upward.

A gleaming ship was descending from the sky, and as it came closer, Jayne could see the symbol on the side. _Serenity_.

"Finally," he sighed, letting his hand fall from River's mouth. He could finally get back to his bunk, the rest of his weapons, not that Lucy was bad or anything.

"Let's start gittin' down there, Wash ain't gonna see or hear—" He stopped when he felt River go rigid and let out a shriek.

Behind him, Jayne heard the audible sound of a gun being cocked.

River moaned, shrinking back. "Miscalculated entities."

A somewhat familiar, biting voice spoke. "Federal Marshal, don't move."

(A/N: Like they hadn't seen the last of those two idiots. Please leave a review, it is much appreciated.)


	9. Rescue

Chapter Nine: Rescue

"Keep moving, hands where I can see them," the officer barked, his gun pointed at Jayne's back.

The second officer with his bruised nose trained his gun on River who was shaking. She was twisting her fingers nervously, and Jayne could see her lips forming silent words.

"Crazy," he hissed, "knock it off."

Jabbing him in the back with the gun, the first officer snapped, "No talking. Damon, call back up."

The broken-nose officer reached for his radio with his gun on River. "Requesting position."

"Coordinates 47-60, Less than ten minutes," a man's voice crackled back.

"Hear that?" The first officer smirked. "In a few minutes you two will be well on your way for a nice long stay in prison."

Jayne gritted his teeth, glaring at the man who continued on, his voice smug.

"See, we just happened to spot a ship entering atmo in the middle of nowhere, and decided to do some reconnaissance. I have to say, I am surprised you and your girl here would be wandering around," he paused, "unless, of course, that is your ship. Well, not to worry, we will have a team deployed on the ship shortly."

"No!" River shouted, suddenly springing into action. She twisted, trying to escape from the second marshal's grip. "Don't take away the pieces! Bite and rip, can't put it back together!"

Jayne watched in disgust as River pitifully tried to tug her arms away. He couldn't tell if she was just being a nuisance or couldn't get out—either way, it was for the best. Jayne didn't really feature himself getting shot.

"_Bi zui_!" The officer holding her commanded, tightening a pair of handcuffs around her wrist. "I had been hoping not to have to resort to restraints, but apparently, you disagree."

River shook her shackled hands, making a rattling sound. "No, no, no…" she mumbled. "Lock her up, force things down…make you scream, make you holler."

Jayne wondered why in the hell the girl needed to go even crazier while they were being held at gun point.

He opened his mouth to yell at River before the officers decided to shoot her, but he caught a glimpse of her face and saw the expectant look, the one that clearly said "do something!"

It took him a moment to realize she was, at least partially, orchestrating this as a distraction.

"Cannot obtain!" River was shouting again, struggling against her restraints. The marshal's jaw tightened, and he smacked her across the face.

Jayne first instinct, strangely, was to ask if the girl was alright, but instead, he waited for the gun to shift just a little…

"Damon, quiet her up," the first officer snapped, turning to face him.

"I'm trying," Damon managed, "but, she's rather strong for a—_Wei!_" he stopped as he saw Jayne snap his elbow back, straight into his capturer's face.

"Argh!" The man instinctively dropped his gun, clutching his nose. Blood poured down, coating his fingers.

Damon swung his gun at Jayne, only to receive a kick in the neck from River. She swung around, landing another one square in his stomach.

"You," he gasped, grabbing his stomach. "Bitch."

"Not a female canine," River replied sensibly, imitating Jayne's method and elbowing his face.

Jayne grabbed the abandoned gun and pointed it at both officers. "Ya know, this's the second time in recent mem'ry that girl here an' I've rendered ya a bit weaponless. Now I don't know who's been trainin' ya both, but 'parently, it sucks." He stepped forward to second officer, fishing through his pockets for the key.

River turned around, waiting for Jayne to unlock the handcuffs.

"Yar shtupid," the first officer spat, "ya think yer can run?"

"Yep," Jayne replied, the gun tapping the man's forehead, "Did before."

"Are you going to kill us?" The second one asked contemptuously. "Because mortally wounding an officer is a serious offense, and they will hunt you down."

"Well," Jayne drawled, "it'll be fun." He aimed the gun at the man's head, ready to pull the trigger.

"Deployment," River interrupted clearly. "They're here."

Jayne spared a quick glance at the sleek ship arriving. "Great," he muttered, "that's just great. Crazy, I thought yer were a Reader or somethin'!"

"Don't be a dumbo," River retorted, "not omniscient, just clairvoyant."

"Well start clairvoyantin' what we're gonna do!" Jayne snapped back.

"Give synapses a moment!" River's brow furrowed as she stared hard at their former capturers, now hostages.

"Render unconscious once more," she sighed and Jayne complied instantly.

"That ain't gonna hold 'em forever," he warned, watching the shuttle come closer. "An' ain't helpin' with _that_."

River followed his gaze. "I know."

* * *

"Wash!"

"Just give me a moment!" The pilot replied, holding up his hand.

Mal stared out the window at the shuttle. "Don't like where it's headed."

"Yeah, Mal, for us," Wash snapped. "No way we can out run them."

"Sir?" Zoe questioned, looking at the Captain.

Tense, Mal kept his hard gaze on the shuttle, sighing a little. "Load up. An' someone go to Jayne's bunk an' git some of his guns."

"Yes sir," Zoe replied and disappeared out the door.

"Wash, yer sure we can't git outta this one?" Mal confirmed, feeling his stomach drop.

"We're too close in range," the pilot admitted, "dammit."

"So, we just wait," Mal's voice was tight.

"Yeah."

* * *

"Simon," Kaylee hissed, tugging on her boyfriend's sleeve. "We gotta get ya outta here."

"Wait," he said, searching through his things. "I can't find my bag."

"_Bao-bei_, it'll be here when ya get back," Kaylee insisted firmly. "Now, come on."

Simon sighed, feeling his eye twitch from stress and lack of sleep. "I just need to get River's books—"

"Simon," Zoe's voice broke through as she stopped by his room. "Captain wants ya hid. Kaylee—"

"I know, I know," the mechanic cut her off. "We're goin' now."

Simon reluctantly let her lead him out, her warm hand gripping his. "Where are we going?"

"Out," she replied, "we'll hid in one of them crevices in the rock 'till they're gone."

Simon swallowed nervously as the approached the hatch. "Won't that be dangerous?"

Kaylee gave him a look. "Better than goin' with Alliance."

Simon tightened his hold. "True," he sighed, "I'm sorry to get you muddled up in trying to save me when you should be getting _Serenity_ ready to go."

"Simon," she met his eyes firmly, "I love ya. It's nothin' if it means yer safe."

"But I want _you_ to be safe," he protested as the hatch slid open.

"I will be," Kaylee replied stepping off quickly. "With you."

* * *

"They're still comin'," Jayne said unnecessarily.

River rolled her eyes. "Fruitless observation." Suddenly her face brightened. "Communication devices! Minor modifications for optimal use, surely someone is listening; we'll knock."

Without any prompting, Jayne bent down, grabbing a scanner off the officer. "Here."

River fiddled with the dials. "Secure the line, limit the eavesdroppers…" she squinted then smiled. "Ready."

Jayne took the radio back, pressing the button. He tried to remember the code he and Mal had set up back a while ago. "Uh...bear on land, nearby…with, uh, moon."

River gave him a doubtful look. "Correct usage of cryptic jargon?"

"No gorram clue," Jayne muttered. "But maybe Mal'll hear it."

* * *

Inara frowned, lowering the headphones Mal had given her. She trying to be helpful by listening to the scanners, but after hearing the odd message, she stopped.

Quickly, she pressed the comm. "Mal?" She spoke hesitantly, "I think you should hear this."

No more than a minute later, Mal burst into the shuttle. "What?"

"I just heard something odd…" she slipped on ear on, staring intently at the lines on the screen. "Wait! Here it is again."

Mal snatched the headphones out of her hand, placing them on.

"_Uh, tryin' again…bear nearby on land with, um, moon_."

Mal yanked them off. "Jayne."

"Jayne?" Inara echoed. "Wait, what does that mean?"

"It means he's up at the top of the canyon…I think," Mal answered. "'least his alive an' with River."

"Moon," Inara affirmed. "Do you want me to continue listening?"

"No," Mal said slowly, "I think I got an idea."

* * *

"Message recieved?"

"I don't know, Crazy, but we gotta stay outta sight," Jayne replied, peering around from their hiding spot as the shuttle lowered into the canyon.

Suddenly the scanner in his hand buzzed. "_Hey, uh, bear and moon, stay. Tightpants has a plan,_" Wash said and then it went quiet.

"Guess lil' man figured out how ta talk back," Jayne said. "Now we're just…sittin'."

"You feel useless," River acknowledged, drawing her knees close. It was bizarre to be awake and this close to the mercenary. Their elbows kept bumping, and River could feel heat pouring from him.

It made her skin tight and tingly.

"Well, yeah," Jayne answered, "Ain't no fun if yer hidin'. Kinda itchin' for a good fight, even if ain't smart."

River smiled a little, almost bittersweet. "I should think we match."

Jayne eyed her warily. "Why's that? 'Cause I ain't crazy or a girl, so no similar-ties."

Leaning forward conspiratorially, River told him, "The yen to violence. Not really the girl, more what they made her…just like you."

Scoffing, Jayne rested his head on the rock. "Nobody made me, girl."

"They did," River replied solemnly. "You harden over time, like amber. People change you, make you different."

Jayne turned away. "Let's not talk."

"Why not?" River persisted. "The objective of humanity is to find connections…find people to share with."

"I ain't a sharer," Jayne corrected.

"You're human," River trumped.

"Don't matter," Jayne snapped, angry. "We should be quiet-like, waitin' to hear from Wash."

River sulked. "Fine, retreat to your corner."

* * *

"So…this is all of your crew?"

"Yes sir, it is," Mal replied, managing a smile.

The head officer eyed them all, his cold eyes burning. "We received a call from two of our men insisting this was a rouge vessel for transporting two wanted individuals."

"Well," Mal laughed, "this is just my crew. Ain't no passengers."

"Mind if we look?"

Mal crossed his arms. "Do ya got a warrant of some kind?"

The man smirked coolly. "Do you have authorization for those crates?"

Grudgingly, Mal moved out of the way to let two assistant officers search the place. He turned back to the head officer who was trying to stare him down.

It was only a few minutes before the two men returned, shaking their heads. "There's no one else on the ship."

"You searched everywhere?" The officer questioned.

"Anywhere two people could possibly hide," one said.

The officer opened his mouth to tell them to continue looking when his scanner crackled. "_Sir, we need medical attention up here. Two officers down, I repeat, two officers down._"

"Damn," the man swore and replied, "Take them to the nearest hospital, we're done here." He turned to Mal, "Clearly, you don't have much to do with this, but I get news of your ship here again, and I will have you arrested. _Dong le ma?_"

"Crystal," Mal replied watching them back up off the ship. "Bye now!" He waited until the hatch closed before turning to the Wash.

"Soon as they leave, git Kaylee an' the doc back on an' radio Jayne, tell 'im we're comin' back up an' gittin' the hell of this rock."

"Yessir, Captain!" Wash replied, smiling wide at their escape.

* * *

Jayne watched as the two officers were carried on stretchers onto the shuttle. He picked up the scanner. "All clear here, lil' man."

"_Big bear, we're coming to you._"

Jayne growled back, "Gorram roger that."

River peeked at him through her hair. "Going home."

"Yeah, Crazy, we're goin' home."

They heard the rumble of _Serenity_ and slipped out of their hiding spot, squinting as the ship settled in the dust, opening wide.

Simon immediately ran off the ship, grabbing his sister in a rib-crushing hug. "Oh, _mei-mei_, I was so worried."

"She's… fine, Simon," River managed, "however her…breathing is…restricted."

He let go, smiling sheepishly. "I'm just glad you are alright."

Jayne rolled his eyes at the touching display. "Sure she's fine," he grumbled, "she gorram started the whole thing."

River shot him a look. "Did not! You insisted on a ludicrously long path!"

"Well, maybe yer genius self coulda said somethin'!"

River inched closer to Simon, sticking out her tongue.

Jayne resisted the urge to retaliate childishly by giving her his meanest glare.

"Hey!" Mal shouted, "Git in here!"

All three clamored back on, watching the hatch close and feeling _Serenity_ rumble to life.

"So, how'd it go out there?" Mal questioned.

River's chin tilted up. "My olfactory senses tell me Jayne needs a bath," she said and turned on her foot, heading to the mess.

Simon snorted, stifling his laughter as he followed his sister out of the cargo bay.

Mal turned to his mercanery. "Ya do smell a bit ripe."

"Shut it, Mal," he snapped, "an' if ya ever leave me with Crazy 'gain I'll damn well shoot myself."

Laughing, Mal clapped the man on the back. "Albatross give ya that much trouble?"

Jayne shrugged the arm off. "She's crazy, Mal, a moon brained girl with weird tend-ancies to make a man feel a lotta uncomfortableness." He stalked off in the direction of a shower, leaving Mal behind.

He sighed, smiling a little. "All's right in the 'verse again."

* * *

River found herself wandering late at night, running her hands along _Serenity_, getting reacquainted.

As she glided into the dinning area, she felt the last person she expected.

"Hello, Jayne."

The mercenary glanced up from his bowl. "Aw hell, it's you."

"Yes," River replied, "No multiples."

"Huh?" Jayne grumbled, frowning.

"Never mind," River said quickly, sliding into the seat across from him.

"Listen, I've had enough of ya, so go bother someone else now," Jayne told her, slurping his drink.

"Everyone is enjoying their restful state," River reminded him.

"Well, ya can still go," Jayne prompted.

"No thank you," River replied pleasantly. "I wish to sit in this spot."

They sat in silence for a moment before Jayne spoke again. "I just wanna have a nice end of day _alone_, alright, Crazy?"

River smiled softly. "_Dans chaque fin, il y a un début_."

Jayne's brow creased. "I don't know what garbled language yer speakin' 'cause it don't make a lick of sense."

"It's French," River informed, "means: In every end, there is also a beginning."

Jayne paused, chewing thoughtfully. "Now, that's kinda pretty."

"Yes, it reflects _Serenity_'s continuous cycle...the way of 'verse."

Jayne shrugged. "Guess so." He stood up and placed his bowl in the sink. "Go ta bed, girl. Brother'll git mad if yer up."

"Good night, Jayne," River said, ignoring his advise.

When he was out of ear shot, River smiled enigmatically. "It's our beginning too."

(reviews are fantastic, there will be a sequel tentatively titled: Vanishing Point)


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